In my limited time as an amateur poker player, I've had the opportunity to visit a few separate casinos. In Las Vegas, I played poker in Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio. I've been fortunate enough at play at MGM National Harbor and Maryland Live, both in Maryland. I've played at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem. And last weekend, I was able to take a trip to the Sugarhouse Casino in Philadelphia with one of my friends. Here's my Review of the Poker Room and casino there.
Poker Room Review.
I always try to play the lowest stakes possible at every poker room, and most people in the poker room are looking for those stakes also.
The truth is that almost everyone who is looking to play poker wants to play at those stakes. At Sugarhouse Casino, the $1/$2 game is the most popular.
The rake is 10% up to a maximum of $5 per pot at Sugarhouse, which is standard for any poker room. What is not standard, is the fact that players have an opportunity to straddle from anywhere, including the button. This came into play several times, and significantly increased the action at the table.
Players.
As for the quality of the players, they were generally weak aside from a few in the game. My friend Harry, was one of the strongest players at the table, and the player on my direct left, who accumulated a stack of around $1300 in a $1/$2 game, was probably the strongest at the table.
Aside from that, however, the players were fairly weak.
In general, the players at my table played far too many hands and either took bluffs too far or made calls where they should not have. That helped me win some money in the first ring in which I played. The later I stayed, the better the game was. I was dealt pocket Aces, raised, and was rejammed on, helping me win even more money on the night.
Overall, the game was weak enough for both me and my friend to win.
Atmosphere.
The poker room was clean and completely cut off from the rest of the casino, a luxury that not many other casinos can boast. The dealers were quick and professional, and the atmosphere was really good. I really enjoyed it, and my friend did as well.
Non-Casino Activities.
At Sugarhouse Casino, there's stuff to do aside from gambling. Toward the back, there's a bar, an outdoor area, and a place where live bands can play. In addition, there are games like ping-pong and darts that you can play with your friends in the back. Those additional offerings help the casino get even higher marks on this rating.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
It might not be Vegas, but Sugarhouse Casino did an excellent job with their poker room and provides plenty of excitement to amateur players looking for a game.
